The present invention relates to a food processor. More particularly, although not exclusively, the invention relates to an appliance for cooking and then mashing potatoes or other food then keeping the food warm for a predetermined time.
Traditionally, to prepare mashed potatoes or other mashed vegetables, such as carrots, and pumpkin, peeled vegetable pieces are first boiled. Liquid is then drained from the cooked and softened vegetable pieces and they are then broken and beaten with a hand held implement. This may be a purpose-made masher, but is generally a fork. Once the vegetables have been reduced to a rough puree, other ingredients are normally added. The most commonly added ingredient is milk and optionally butter or margarine to create a cream-like texture. Olive oil can also be used for this purpose. Solid ingredients such as chopped chives, onion or even cooked bacon pieces can also be added. Additional ingredients such as salt and pepper can be added to taste.
The above traditional means of preparation is time-consuming and labour-intensive and inconvenient, especially now that much of the hollowware used to cook the vegetables is coated with a non-stick coating that is susceptible to damage by mashers and forks. Where such pans are used, it is common to transfer the cooked vegetables to a second vessel less susceptible to such damage for mashing.
Furthermore, the addition of cold milk to the softened vegetable pieces reduces the heat of the mashed vegetables.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least one of the above disadvantages and/or more generally to provide an appliance that will automate some of the above-described steps.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved food-processing appliance.
It is a further complementary object of the patent invention to minimise user controls in the food processing appliance.
There is disclosed herein a food processing appliance comprising:
a reservoir to receive water,
a heater to produce steam from any water in the reservoir,
a vessel for containing food and being positioned to receive said steam, the vessel having a plurality of apertures therethrough, the apertures being sized to allow ingress of said steam to the vessel, yet curtail egress of any pureed food in the vessel therethrough,
a carrier mounted movably with respect to the vessel,
a drive means causing relative movement between the carrier and the vessel, and
a beater extending into the vessel from the carrier.
Preferably the appliance further includes a base in which the reservoir is located, and wherein the drive means includes a motor situated in the base.
Preferably the reservoir includes a central, vertically oriented tube through which a vertical drive shaft extends to transmit output from the motor to the carrier.
Preferably the vessel also includes a central tube through which said or another vertical drive shaft extends for transmitting output of the motor to the carrier.
Preferably the central tube of the vessel has affixed to an upper end thereof a stationary gear, and wherein the beater includes a gear that meshes with the stationary gear.
Preferably another beater is mounted to the carrier and having a gear meshing with the gear of the first said beater.
The heater can have associated with it a switch to deactivate the heater upon overheating as would occur, should all water from the reservoir the depleted.
A control means can govern operation of the motor and/or heater.
Preferably a condensate collection chamber is positioned between the vessel and the reservoir.
Preferably a steam tube extends from the heater through the condensate collection chamber.
Preferably a scraper blade extends from the carrier and co-operates with the vessel to prevent accumulation of pureed vegetables on walls of the vessel.
Preferably the scraper blade causes the vegetables to be fed toward the beater.